The Effects of Personality Traits and Self-Efficacy Measured by NEO-FFI on Eating Attitudes of Young Women

OBJECTIVES: . In this study we aimed to examine the psychological mechanisms underlying body image distortion, weight loss desire, and high Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) scores, with a focus on personality traits and self-efficacy, in young women without suspected eating disorders. METHODS: A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in December 2020 on 167 female university students in Okayama, Japan. Participants with EAT-26 scores of 20 or higher were excluded, and the final analysis was conducted on young women without suspected eating disorders. The survey assessed personality traits using the NEO Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), self-efficacy using the Trait Self-Efficacy Scale, and eating attitudes using EAT-26. Data were analyzed using multiple regression and path analysis. RESULTS: Factor analysis revealed five subscales of self-efficacy: "Patience", "Coping Skills", "Execution Ability", "Sociability", and "Challenge". Multiple regression analysis showed that both "Patience" and "Coping Skills" were negatively associated with body image distortion and weight loss desire. The NEO-FFI subscale "Extraversion" was positively associated with both weight loss desire and EAT-26 scores, whereas "Neuroticism" was positively associated with EAT-26 scores. These subscales may serve as predictive psychological factors. Furthermore, path analysis confirmed a sequential model of a process in which body image distortion leads to weight loss desire, which in turn contributes to higher EAT-26 scores. CONCLUSIONS: In this study we developed a sequential model of a process in which body image distortion leads to weight loss desire, which subsequently results in higher EAT-26 scores. This process was found to be associated with the self-efficacy subscales "Patience" and "Coping Skills" and the personality trait subscales "Neuroticism" and "Extraversion".